In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer center, speaks with Dr. Diane Mahoney, assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Kansas Medical Center and member of KU Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention and Control research program, about ovarian cancer, a disease often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to nonspecific symptoms. Dr. Mahoney discusses the importance of early detection, current treatment options and her promising research into the human microbiome's role in ovarian cancer. She also highlights the health disparities affecting African American women and her dedication to addressing these inequities. Dr. Mahoney's unique background as a bilingual nurse clinician and researcher further enriches her approach to patient care and research.

Links from this episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Mahoney’s research on the KU Cancer Center blog
• Read about ovarian cancer screening and treatment at KU Cancer Center
• Watch Dr. Mahoney discuss her health disparities research with The American Journal for Managed Care
• Learn more about ovarian cancer symptoms and awareness at KU Cancer Center

Approaching cancer from unique angles and perspectives is crucial for gaining an understanding of this disease and optimizing treatment strategies for patients. In the Department of Radiation Oncology at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, our specialists work to accelerate progress toward more personalized and effective ways to treat cancer through research and clinical trials. In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Xinglei Shen, associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the cancer center. Dr. Shen directs clinical research efforts in the Department of Radiation Oncology and in this episode, he highlights the significant technological advancements in radiation therapy over the past decade, including innovations like proton beam therapy and precision medicine. Dr. Shen also explains the diverse types of cancer research conducted at KU, the importance of patient advocacy in clinical trials, and his vision for the future of radiation oncology.

Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about Proton Therapy at KU Cancer Center
• Dr. Xinglei Shen discusses the latest clinical trials and importance of patient-centered research on the KU Cancer Center blog
• Learn about the Department of Radiation Oncology at KU Cancer Center
• Follow the Department of Radiation Oncology on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram

Immunotherapy and cellular therapeutics represent the future of cancer care. These biological therapies involve manipulating the body’s cells to reactivate and strengthen their abilities to attack cancer cells. Immunotherapy is a precision cancer treatment and is considered the future of cancer treatment by the National Cancer Institute. Other, more traditional, types of cancer treatment include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Immunotherapy is a type of treatment for a variety of cancers that harnesses one’s own immune system to fight his or her specific cancer cells. Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL therapy, is a type of immunotherapy and part of the body’s natural response to cancer. TIL cells are naturally occurring immune cells that are on constant surveillance to recognize, attack and kill cancer cells. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved lifileucel (Amtagvi), the first treatment for cancer that uses TILs. On this episode, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center speaks with Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq, associate professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at the University of Kansas Medical Center, about this exciting topic.

Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about TIL therapy via the National Cancer Institute
• Read the frequently asked questions about immunotherapy on the KU Cancer Center website
• Learn about Dr. Mushtaq
• Read the FDA’s announcement of approval for TIL therapy
• Learn more about cancer clinical trials at KU Cancer Center

After listening to this episode, we invite YOU to be a part of the podcast! We want to hear your thoughts on the conversations we have here, topics you’d like to learn more about and any questions you may have for our guests. Call our Bench to Bedside hotline at 913-588-3880 and leave us a voicemail, or you can email your comments and questions to benchtobedside@kumc.edu. Your comments may be shared on a future episode!

Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or rectal cancer, is one of the most treatable cancers when found early. However, it is also the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For decades, colorectal cancer was most often diagnosed in people aged 50 and over. More recently, the incidence of colorectal cancer has declined in people 50 and over, while dramatically increasing in younger people. Because of this shift, the American Cancer Society recently revised its colorectal cancer screening guidelines for people at average risk. According to the updated guidelines, individuals at average risk of colorectal cancer should have regular screening for colon cancer beginning at age 45. On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, discusses this topic with Dr. John Ashcraft, Associate Professor of Surgery and Division Chief of the Colorectal & Oncologic Surgery Division at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Dr. Raed Al-Rajabi, Associate Professor of medicine in the division of medical oncology and leader of the gastrointestinal medical oncology group at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Links from this Episode:

• Read the new American Cancer Society guidelines for colon cancer screening

• Learn more about colon cancer screening and treatment at KU Cancer Center

• Read about Dr. Ajay Bansal’s Lynch Syndrome research and clinic

• Learn more about Dr. John Ashcraft and Dr. Raed Al-Rajabi

After listening to this episode, we invite YOU to be a part of the podcast! We want to hear your thoughts on the conversations we have here, topics you’d like to learn more about and any questions you may have for our guests. Call our Bench to Bedside hotline at 913-588-3880 and leave us a voicemail, or you can email your comments and questions to benchtobedside@kumc.edu. Your comments may be shared on a future episode!

On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, sits down for a conversation with Drs. Byron Gajewski and Devin Koestler, co-leaders of the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource at KU Cancer Center. Just as a coach uses a playbook to strategize and make informed decisions during a game, researchers use biostatistics to analyze data and draw meaningful conclusions in their studies. On today’s episode, Drs. Gajewski and Koestler share more about how the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource supports KU Cancer Center’s researchers by using examples from different sports teams. In addition, they discuss their career journeys and give their advice and tips for anyone who may want to pursue a career in mathematics.

Links from this Episode:

- Learn more about the Shared Resources at KU Cancer Center

- Read about the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource at KU Cancer Center

- Learn about our Clinical Trials Finder App

- Learn more about Dr. Gajewski

- Learn more about Dr. Koestler

With summer fast approaching, it's time to talk sun safety! In Kansas, cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, increased significantly from 2008 to 2017. Protection from the sun's rays could prevent about 90% of all skin cancer cases. Since youth are especially at risk for overexposure to the sun with extended times outdoors, KU Cancer Center’s outreach network, the Masonic Cancer Alliance, implemented Pool Cool, a program to educate young people on sun safety behaviors. On this episode of the podcast Ashley Adorante from Pool Cool is taking a break while visiting pools across the state to share her top tips for staying safe in the sun and preventing skin cancer!

After listening to this episode, we invite YOU to be a part of the podcast! We want to hear your thoughts on the conversations we have here, topics you’d like to learn more about and any questions you may have for our guests. Call our Bench to Bedside hotline at 913-588-3880 and leave us a voicemail, or you can email your comments and questions to benchtobedside@kumc.edu. Your comments may be shared on a future episode!

Links from this episode:

• Learn more about the Pool Cool program
• Check your sun safety knowledge with this True or False quiz with Ashley on KU Cancer Center's Instagram
• Learn more about skin cancer risks and prevention

On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, sits down for a conversation with Camy Crank, author of the book “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: What I Lost and Gained Through Breast Cancer.” Camy’s own breast cancer journey began in 2015, when a second opinion from KU Cancer Center showed stage 3B disease. In 2020, she learned her cancer had metastasized. Camy is also a member of KU Cancer Center’s patient research advocacy group, PIVOT, where she has been able to contribute to cancer research through providing the patient perspective. Listen as Camy shares her cancer journey, why writing about the experience was important to her and her family, and what she has learned along the way.

Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at benchtobedside@kumc.edu, and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center.

Links from this Episode:

• Purchase Camy's book, "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: What I Lost and Gained Through Breast Cancer"
• Learn more about breast cancer screening at KU Cancer Center
• Learn more about cancer metastasis
• Become a member of PIVOT, KU Cancer Center's patient research advocacy program

The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s Accelerate Cancer Education (ACE) program is a summer research program specifically designed for high school students living in Wyandotte County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri. The cancer center launched ACE in 2018 in collaboration with the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Health Careers Pathways Programs and the NIH-funded Kansas Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence program. On this episode, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Lisa Harlan-Williams, director of the ACE Program, about this innovative initiative. Also joining the conversation is one of our very first ACE graduates, Jesus Gonzalez Morales, who shares how the experience shaped his career aspirations and how ACE impacted his life.

Do you have questions about cancer? Call our Bench to Bedside Hotline at (913) 588-3880 or email us at benchtobedside@kumc.edu, and your comment or question may be shared on an upcoming episode! If you appreciated this episode, please share, rate, subscribe and leave a review. To ensure you get our latest updates, For the latest updates, follow us on the social media channel of your choice by searching for KU Cancer Center.

Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about KU Cancer Center’s ACE Program
• Learn about Dr. Lisa Harlan-Williams
• Watch this video where the 2022 ACE cohort and their mentors share some of their favorite memories from the program
• Read about another ACE graduate, Julie Gonzalez-Morales, in KU Cancer Center’s annual report, Beyond the Bench